The Hybrid Work Experience - TechSource

As we navigate the new normal, many organizations are embracing a balance of in-office and remote work for their teams.  A recent Gartner CFO Survey reveals 74% of organizations intend to shift some employees to remote work permanently.

This combination of in-office and remote work creates an opportunity to assess the changes that have impacted how teams are now collaborating.  OEMs and IT departments must work quickly to upgrade their systems to provide the flexibility required to accommodate an inclusive, supportive and secure work experience.

How has a trip to the office changed?

With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and collaboration tools, it’s likely going to feel like stepping out of your pandemic bubble and into the future.  The potential for things like a touchless temperature check or a face scan to ensure you’re wearing a mask is a real possibility. A virtual connection to the receptionist could grant you access to the office. Digital signage can display important health information and capture non-identifiable biometric data to aid in contact tracing.  While it would be great to have in-person meetings, it has the potential to be a vastly different experience.

Getting to the task at hand

With the workplace evolving and how we work fundamentally changing, it’s essential to have access to the right tools from wherever you’re working.

Cisco is at the forefront of delivering a seamless collaboration experience for hybrid work with their new Webex Suite that combines comprehensive collaboration tools across a unified platform.  These tools are centered around the work you do, not where you do it.

• Meetings – Whether you’re on your mobile, working from a desktop, or in a conference room, you can join high-quality video meetings that drive engagement and minimize interruptions so that everyone can participate and collaborate.
• Messaging – Connect in real-time with advanced features for group messaging, file sharing, co-editing and whiteboarding inside or outside your organization.
• Calling – Make and take calls across devices with an enterprise cloud phone system with powerful VoIP calling features and single-pane-of-glass management.
• Events – Organize virtual events on a platform that delivers scale, reach and interactivity without sacrificing quality.
• Polling – Keep everyone engaged in meetings and events with six types of polling and interactive Q&A features.
• Scheduling and Room Management – Help employees locate, book and find their way to available spaces using Webex interfaces with Wayfinding. Once in the room, Webex Assistant allows employees to have a touchless meeting start, control room environmental elements such as lighting or window blinds, and even transfer to a mobile experience when necessary.

What could a day in the office look like?

In these videos, Cisco shows us Tom, Susie and Kate, all going into the office after working remote for some time.  They show us how the offices have been upgraded with the new Cisco Webex tools that incorporate touchless meeting starts, in-room monitoring alerts for social distancing and reminders for when it’s time to sanitize surfaces, all controlled by a central hub for IT teams to troubleshoot.

Supporting the Hybrid Work Experience

It’s today’s reality – things have changed.  Organizations need to enable employees with the right tools to be productive and work from anywhere. Organizations that provide their employees with the right technologies to support a hybrid work environment will be better positioned for the future.

In partnership with Cisco, Iron Bow delivers a seamless collaboration experience to support your hybrid workforce.

Let’s talk. Click here to learn more.